Arkansas vs. LSU: Tyler Wilson and Hogs' WRs Will Give Tigers Toughest Test Yet

The LSU Tigers have passed every test they faced so far this season, but if Les Miles' squad is to stay atop the SEC, the BCS and the college football landscape as a whole, it'll need to find a way to slow down Tyler Wilson and the fleet of receivers that form the backbone of the Arkansas offense.

The Razorbacks sport the most lethal attack of any in the SEC, one that's comparable, if not superior, to those at Oregon and West Virginia that gave the Bayou Bengals the most trouble this season. Bobby Petrino has put his offensive machinations to good use with the wealth of talent at his disposal.

Wilson may be the best quarterback in the conference, better than even Georgia's Aaron Murray, and he has done a remarkable job of not only filling the gigantic shoes left behind by Ryan Mallett, but also lacing up a pair of his own. He's been a picture of efficiency, completing 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,215 yards, 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

Of course, Wilson hasn't done it alone, but rather with the help of arguably the best receiving corps in the nation. Greg Childs has been in and out of the lineup with injuries, but the Hogs have hardly missed a step without him.

Jarius Wright has been the biggest benefactor of the extra slack, with the speedster leading the team in catches (61), yards (1,002) and touchdowns (10). Meanwhile, Joe Adams and Cobi Hamilton have gone about their usual business of being tremendous threats anytime, anywhere and in any situation on the field.

Even Dennis Johnson, one part of the three-headed monster that has since replaced the injured Knile Davis, has chipped in 20 receptions for 258 yards and two touchdowns out of the backfield to go along with his team-best 606 rushing yards.

But if any team can handle such a mass of offensive talent, it's LSU. Defensive coordinator John Chavis has under his thumb a stable of NFL prospects, particularly in the defensive backfield. Tyrann Mathieu, Morris Claiborne and Ron Brooks—three of the best defensive backs in all of college football—will give the Hogs' wideouts fits all afternoon while forcing Wilson to throw into dangerously tight windows.

The real challenge, though, will be for Stefoin Francois and the Tigers' linebackers to shut down the Hogs' short passing game. Wilson can deliver the ball vertically, but his receivers do their best work after the catch, putting pressure on opposing defenders to make plays in space.

If the Tigers are at all confused about how to contain that sort of attack, they need only refer to the tape of Alabama's 38-14 win over this same Arkansas team back in September. The Crimson Tide relied on the likes of Dont'a Hightower in their second level of defense to make plays on pass catchers in the backfield and pressure Tyler Wilson.

The result? Two interceptions, four quarterback hurries, 10 tackles for a loss and six pass breakups.

That's the sort of effort the Tigers will need to stop a Hogs squad that has improved in the intervening months on the way to winning the Golden Boot and the SEC West while staying on track for the BCS National Championship.

LSU's offensive can certainly do its defense a favor or two simply by running the ball as frequently as it has all season. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who has since reclaimed the starting job from Jarrett Lee, is averaging less than 50 yards passing per game in SEC play and figures to hand off to Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Alfred Blue early and often. The more carries those guys get, the more time the Tigers can run off the clock and the less time the Hogs' offense spends on the field.

It'll be no easy task, but with a Purple-and-Gold-clad crowd in Baton Rouge behind them, the talented Tigers should be able to shut down Tyler Wilson and the Razorbacks to hold steady in pursuit of another national title.